1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods of protecting structures, and more particularly is a means of varying the distance of separation between a standoff plate and a base armor material on an armored military vehicle or other armored structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Construction of armored military vehicles and structures always involves balancing opposing objectives. The vehicles and temporary structures need to be as light and compact as possible for maneuverability, yet heavy, bulky armor is desirable for survivability when under attack. Static structures also benefit from protection that will identify and adapt to the threat, and require less bulk material.
It is well known that armor mass efficiency can be enhanced by incorporating a standoff plate separated from the base armor material. The standoff plate creates a distance of separation from the base armor in which shell fragments can be turned, shattered, and caught. The standoff distance has some penalty when applied in static armor solutions due to the necessity of increasing the overall volume to accommodate the standoff plates. Moreover, optimal standoff distance is threat dependent, which is to say that the optimal standoff distance will vary depending on the nature of the threat presenting itself in any given instance.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an armor system with a variable standoff distance between an outer standoff plate and a base armor.
It is a further object of the present invention to vary the standoff distance on the basis of the characteristics of a detected threat.
Another object of the present invention is to incorporate electrical/magnetic responsive signature management situation awareness sensors, communication antennas, radar, and off-vehicle threat countermeasures into the standoff plate and/or the base armor.
The present invention is a method of achieving a variable standoff distance on an armored vehicle between a standoff plate and a base armor plate. The method comprises building the vehicle with the base armor plating incorporating at least one layer of electromagnetic responsive material, and standoff plates also incorporating at least one layer of electromagnetic responsive material. The standoff plates are movably attached to the base armor plate.
The magnetic energy product can be greatly enhanced by the application of new magnetic nanomaterial processes.
Distributing sensors, communication antennas, radar elements, and/or threat countermeasures throughout the armor will increase redundancy, improve graceful degradation by reducing single-point failure susceptibility, and thereby improve overall survivability. Incorporating electrical and magnetic responsive layers without significantly affecting the mass efficiency of the armor material is key to the success of this approach.
With this arrangement, the application of a relatively small current can be used to create a repulsing magnetic field between the two layers of armor. The magnetic field causes the standoff plate to be moved further away from the base armor, thereby increasing the standoff distance of the armor. The amount of standoff distance is varied depending on the type of threat recognized by a sensor system. The sensor system may or may not be incorporated into the armor surface.
An advantage of the present invention is that the standoff distance can be varied in response to differing threats.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the armor mass efficiency is enhanced, thereby enhancing performance characteristics of the armor system.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention as described herein and as illustrated in the drawings.